Buddhadeb reaffirms campaign against Maoists

“The people should join ranks and stand up against them”

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee reaffirmed on Sunday his government's determination to fight Maoist terror in the State even as he lashed out at the Trinamool Congress for being in league with left-wing extremists with the hope of gaining the initiative not through politically legitimate means but by the elimination of leaders and workers of the Left.

Mr. Bhattacharjee was addressing a Left Front rally held amidst tight security in Maoist-affected Balrampur in Purulia district, where 42 leaders and workers of the Left parties — mainly those of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) — have been killed by extremists in recent times. Twenty-three were murdered in the Balrampur area alone.

While the State police in the three southwest districts, where the Maoists have a presence, have been directed to spare no efforts in flushing out the extremists, Mr. Bhattacharjee appealed to the people of the region to stand up against them.

“If the people join ranks and stand up against the Maoists, they will be left with no path to flee.”

Mr. Bhattacharjee said all efforts were being taken to trace and bring back the Information Bureau officer and a teacher abducted by Maoists from near the Ayodhya Hills area on October 22.

“There is still no news of them…I have instructed the local administration to do all that it takes to weed out the Maoists hiding in the Ayodhya Hills,” he added.

He also criticised the Trinamool leadership for “its false promises of providing lakhs of people jobs” if it came to power.